The Lost Continent 遗失的大陆-7

Amid the spectacular ruins of the new world, the story of Atlantis would now take a different turn, becoming the focus for one man's bold quest to discover the truth about his country and himself. 30 miles from modern-day Mexico City lies Teotihuacan, the spectacular city of the gods. It was already an abandoned ruin long before the time of the Aztecs who regarded it as the birth place of the sun. The Spanish conquistadors had been so overwrought by the city's majesty¹. One of their earliest chroniclers had written,

"There is no known cause why we shoot any longer about of Atlantis. The discovery and conquest of the Indies do plainly declare what Plato had written.

150 years after Columbus had discovered America, such sentiments would inspire one man to come to the city of silence and search for physical proof of the lost legacy² of Atlantis, a search that was bound up in his own quest to discover himself.

Though much of his story has been forgotten, Don Carlos Sigüenza was among the most brilliant men of his age. A poet, mathematician³, astronomer⁴ and engineer, Sigüenza was also one of the first archeologists in history. Born in Mexico City, Sigüenza was a Creole and considered inferior by the country's Spanish rulers.

Sigüenza was a Creole which means he was descended⁵ from Spanish parents, er, although we, we know now that perhaps there were Creoles who had part indigenous⁶ blood. They were not at the same level as Spaniards. They were not equal, they were inferior.

Overcoming the prejudices of Mexico-Spanish overlords had become Sigüenza's self-appointed task from an early age. He was determined⁷ to prove that the ancestors of Mexico's Indians had once forged a culture to rival ancient Rome.
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conquistador: n. 西班牙征服者，征服者
overwrought:adj. 因紧张或兴奋过度激动
chronicler: n. 年代记录者
indigenous: adj. 本地的
Spaniard: n. 西班牙人

1 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

2 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

3 mathematician   

n.数学家

参考例句：

• The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
• The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。

4 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

5 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

6 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。